Olney Elementary
2013 Science Fair
Entry Form and Information Packet
Participation is purely voluntary and open to all students in all grades. Our
goal is to provide an opportunity for kids to apply the scientific method to an
area of personal interest within an environment that focuses on the “process
of doing science” rather than competing. All participants will receive a
certificate and medal noting their achievement. If everyone learns a little bit
about scientific inquiry, then the Science Fair will be a valuable learning
experience . . . and a lot of FUN!!
The Science Fair will be held Thursday, February 28th
from 7 – 8:30 pm in the All-Purpose Room.
(Set up begins at 6:30)
The entry form must be filled out and returned to the
Media Center by Friday, February 22nd!!
This packet contains the following information:
 Entry Form
 Guidelines and Procedures
 An overview of the scientific method
 Science Fair websites
Questions? Please call Joy Patil at 240-876-9640 or email at
[email protected]. OR email Dorrie Pilot at [email protected]
Olney Elementary
2013 Science Fair Entry Form
This form must be filled out, signed and returned to the Media Center by
Friday, February 22nd. Students may work individually, with siblings or in
groups. In order to encourage significant hands-on experience, groups larger
than 3 participants are not recommended.
Please fill out one section per project.
Project Title: _____________________________________________
Participant(s):
Grade:
_________________________________________
___________
_________________________________________
___________
_________________________________________
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Project Title: _____________________________________________
Participant(s):
Grade:
_________________________________________
___________
_________________________________________
___________
_________________________________________
___________
My child would like to participate in the Olney Elementary School Science
Fair. I understand that the event is non-competitive and participation is
voluntary.
Parent / Guardian Signature: ___________________________________
Date: ____________________
Science Fair Guidelines and Procedures
 Each project must submit a completed and signed entry form to the
Media Center on or before Friday, February 22nd.
 The display for each project is limited to a tabletop area approximately
3’x3’. This includes any poster board display plus any objects or
manipulatives that are part of the display.
 Displays should not require access to an electrical outlet.
 We recommend the typical 3-segment “poster board” display for
presenting the project. (These can be found at craft stores, as well as
many grocery stores and drugstores.) Not every project will fit this
approach. Use this as a guide, but be creative!!
Typically each display provides the following information:
Left Panel:
Problem: background information that gives context to the project.
Hypothesis: statement of the specific issue or question that is being tested.
Methods: description of the experiment design and data analysis to be performed.
Center Panel:
Title
Raw Data
Data Analysis Results: charts, graphs, diagrams, photos, etc
Right Panel:
Results: description of what the data show. Refer to charts, etc
Conclusion: does the data prove the hypothesis?
Summary: evaluate overall project or experiment. Make suggestions for future
analysis.

Participants ill have the opportunity to stand by their project during
the open viewing time to describe their experiences to those who walk
through the exhibits and the science panel volunteers. In the absence of
the participant, the documentation on the display should be self-contained
and provide a complete overview of the project and its results.
 Parents and families are more than welcome to become involved with
the student’s project.
Overview of the Scientific Method
The steps involved in a science fair project are referred to as the Scientific Method.
For elementary level students, the scientific method can be summed up in 4 easy
steps. These steps, along with some examples of their application, are given below.
Step 1: Asking Questions
 Pick a topic of interest
 Do some preliminary research
 Begin to ask some questions
 Pick one interesting question and turn it into a hypothesis.
Example: I like plants and gardening. I read in a book that some plants grow
better when music is played around them. I wonder if this is true.
Hypothesis: Plants grow better when music is played around them.
Step 2: Gathering Data:
 Thing about what data or information would be required to test the hypothesis;
decide ahead of time how you will analyze the data.
 Design an experiment and/or define a set of observations that could be used to
generate or collect relevant data. Try to design the experiment to control for
other factors that could impact the hypothesis being tested.
 Conduct the experiment.
 Record the data in a log book.
Example: I will take 20 bean sprouts and separate them in 2 groups of 10. I will
put 10 in 1 room in my home and put 10 in another room. They will be put on a
table near a window. The room will be on the same side of the house so that both
groups will receive the same amount of sunlight. I will water both groups the
same amount each day. In 1 room I will keep a radio on during the day. Each
day I will measure the length of each plant to the nearest cm and count the
number of leaves and record these observations in my log book. At the end of 2
weeks, I will calculate the average growth rate for each group of plants. If my
hypothesis was correct, I would expect the group that has the music to show more
growth.
Step 3: Making Sense of the Data:
 Perform the analysis of the data
 Determine whether or not the data support the hypothesis
 Perform additional research to put the conclusion within some scientific
context.
Example: I will add up the total growth for all 10 plants in each group and divide
that number by the total number of plants to get the average growth estimate. I
will do the same thing for the leaves. I will compare the number from both sets to
see if the data support my hypothesis. In either case, I will perform additional
research to try to find out why or why not. Also, if the data does not support my
hypothesis, I might want to review my experiment and suggest variations of it that
could be used for future study.
Step 4: Communicating the Results:
 Provide context for the project
 State the hypothesis
 Summarize the experiment design and methods used to collect and analyze the
data.
 Show the data and results of the analysis
 Summarize the results
 State if the results support the hypothesis
 Discuss the conclusion in light of what you’ve learned in your research of the
subject
Example: I will prepare a display that will describe my activity. I will follow
suggestions provided in procedures in setting up my display board.
Science Fair Websites:
Listed below are several popular science websites. These are just suggestions. Many
will help you get started on your project by suggesting topics to study and specific
science fair ideas. There are many, many websites devoted to science. Feel free to
search the web and have fun!!
www.all-science-fair-projects.com
www.scienceclub.org/kidporj1.html
www.school.discoveryeducation.com/sciencefaircentral
www.scifair.org